2001 Audi A4

Author's Rating:

Pros: Great interior, rich-looking materials, good value, fuel economy, attention to detail

Cons: 2.8L engine is somewhat weak

The Bottom Line: 
A4 is a great value, and has the best interior in this segment, regardless of the price.

Author's Review
Well, one guy wrote here (about 2001 Audi A4) that it has a 3.0-liter engine and goes 0-60 in less than 7 seconds. This stuff has nothing to do with the ongoing 2001 Audi A4 model, those were specs of the 2002 model that will go on sale in the fall of 2001.

Current (2001 model year) Audi A4 is very attractive. It is probably the best “bang for the buck” among upscale German cars. “Bang for the buck” does not mean “cheap” - the car has beautiful interior that cannot be matched by either Mercedes or BMW, tons of standard features.

Cruise control here is standard, unlike BMW 3-series, Radio/Cassette/CD – standard, full-size aluminum spare tire – standard. Three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel – standard. Ditto split-folding 60/40 rear seat, trip computer, real wood trim and power seats for V-6 2.8 models. The list can go on and on.

INTERIOR
The interior looks really nice, both 3-series Bimmer and Mercedes C-class look cheap comparing to A4’s rich-looking materials, fit and finish. On power-seat equipped A4s, the seat can go so far from the dashboard that you cannot reach the dash.

The car comes standard with either cloth seats or perforated leatherette, leather is optional. The Tiptronic auto transmission option costs $1100 and includes buttons on the steering wheel to allow you shift manually. The sport package (sport suspension, better wheels) costs less than $600.

ENGINES
You have a choice of 2 engines – 1.8L 4-cylinder turbo with 5 valves per cylinder that develops 170 hp and 155 lb-ft of torque and 2.8 V-6 also with 5 valves per cylinder that produces 190 hp. Both will want premium gas, but if you want to save on gas, FWD A4 1.8T with manual transmission gets 24MPG in the city, 32 MPG on the highway.

DRIVETRAIN
You have a choice of FWD and 4WD (Quattro). And you can choose between a manual 5-speed transmission and an automatic 5-speed one with Tiptronic, that allows you to shift manually. FYI: 1.8T model with manual gearbox goes 0-60 in 7.5 seconds (manufacturer’s data).

The front-drive configuration does not exhibit torque steer and is well suited for driving in slippery condition. It is cheaper and weighs less, provides better fuel economy.

The sound system sounds nice, it has radio, cassette and a CD player as standard equipment, unlike BMW that comes with cassette only and makes you order CD player as optional equipment (like it’s still 80’s). The volume automatically increases with the increase in vehicle’s speed.

Next year (fall 2001 – 2002 model year) the A4 will get a bit larger and will get 3-liter V-6 instead of 2.8L one, new suspension and looks similar to the A6.

Small issue – the Tiptronic transmission does not hold the gear if you hit the redline – it upshifts, which may be good for people with attention deficit, but not if you want the total control. Same thing with kick-down. The manual transmission could be improved - even front-wheel drive Eclipse has better shifter.

The car comes with security system that has a blinking light in the upper part of the driver’s door.

Since the car comes with standard trip computer/service monitor, it will tell you when to change the oil and you know the fuel consumption at all times.

A4 comes with free maintenance during the first 3 years/50,000 miles and warranty includes 12-year warranty against corrosion perforation.

A4 is a great value, and has the best interior in this segment, regardless of the price.